The sport of weightlifting has one primary objective, which is to lift the maximum amount of weight overhead. Olympic weightlifting, otherwise known as ‘weightlifting’ or ‘Olympic-style weightlifting’ is a registered sport which incorporates the use of two independent lifts which require the athlete to lift a loaded barbell from the floor to an overhead position in an explosive manner. The two competition lifts are the snatch, followed by the clean and jerk. In a competition, each athlete will be granted a total of three attempts in each lift, and the highest successful lift in each event will comprise the athlete's total.
The snatch is a single movement where the athlete holds the bar in a wide grip or snatch grip (wider than shoulder width), lifts the weight off the ground overhead in one movement, then stands upright holding the bar overhead. The athlete may recover in his or her own time, either from a split or a squat position, and finish with the feet on the same line, parallel to the plane of the trunk and the barbell.
The clean and jerk is a two-part movement. In the first part of the lift, the clean or power clean, the athlete grips the bar approximately shoulder width using a power clean grip (more narrow than the wide grip used for the snatch grip above), pulls it as high as possible in one continuous motion, and then drops under the weight in a squat position while receiving the bar on the shoulders and upper chest. In the second part of the lift, the jerk, the athlete dips and drives the weight up as high as possible, extending the knees and hips and rising up on the toes. The feet are quickly split apart with one forward and one backward while the body drops under the weight which is caught in a split position. To complete the lift, the athlete will recover by bringing the feet in line and shoulder width apart.
One of the keys to mastering the snatch, and the clean and jerk is the power position. The power position is the point during the snatch or clean where the athlete's torso is erect, knees slightly bent, feet flat and the bar grazes or lightly touches the top of the hip or thighs (see FIG. 6). A common problem with beginners learning to perform the snatch, and the clean and jerk is that the athlete does not bring the bar close enough to his or her body when in the power position. The power position is critical because it allows the athlete to maintain the bar close to the body and control his or her center of gravity. Failure to utilize the correct power position form will undoubtedly cause horizontal displacement of the bar, a decrease in the speed of the bar, and a reduction in power output. Therefore, if an athlete wants to maximize his or her potential and be as competitive as he or she can be, good technique is essential.
Current best practices indicate the greatest benefits are derived from learning proper weightlifting technique at the outset of training. However, there are no currently available training aids to learn how to properly place the bar and body in the power position to maximize the amount of weight an athlete can lift overhead with a given level of strength and power. Consequently, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art as discussed above, and particularly for improved and innovative training aids for athletes engaged in Olympic weightlifting.